


Everything For Always

by justcallmered



Series: Everything For Always [1]
Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Gun Violence, Soft Rio (Good Girls)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:41:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23824759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justcallmered/pseuds/justcallmered
Summary: She had been hurt, but it wasn't too bad. Physically. But just the thought of his contact, Rick or something as equally slimy, putting his hands on her and now the image of her hysterical in a safe house, alone—it was enough to make him see red, knuckles tightening on the wheel as his jaw ticked. Almost there, mami. He thought to himself.
Relationships: Beth Boland/Rio
Series: Everything For Always [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1731463
Comments: 41
Kudos: 198





	Everything For Always

He was so fucking angry. Beyond anger, really, and straight into lividness. Rio pressed his foot harder down on the gas pedal as he went over his latest phone conversation in his head.

  
_“Yo,” Rio picked up, distracted as he went over the drops for the next couple weeks._

  
_“Boss, we got a problem,” Bullet told him somberly._

  
_Rio sighed and rubbed his hand over the lower half of his face. He did not feel like dealing with anymore bullshit right now, but started piling papers up to put away for the night. “What happened?”_

  
_“It’s…,” Bullet cleared his throat, “It’s Elizabeth, boss. She’s hurt. Not too—”_

  
_Rio’s body snapped to attention, quickly forgoing cleaning anything else up and grabbed his keys and gun before he snapped at Bullet. “What the fuck happened?”_

  
_Bullet sucked in a breath recognizing the switch in Rio’s demeanor. “She was doing the drop like normal except she was alone—”_

  
_“And why the fuck was she alone?” Rio demanded as he knew he had told her on several occasions to not fucking do a drop alone no matter what._

  
_Bullet sighed, knowing his boss was not going to like the answer. “I don’t know, boss. I can’t get a word out of her other than the gist of what happened. Contact saw her alone, thought he could get one over on her and attacked. Tough bitch, though. Still got your money.”_

  
_Rio cursed in a string of Spanish under his breath before replying. “Yeah I don’ give a fuck ‘bout that money. Where the fuck is Elizabeth?”_

  
_“We’re at the safe house on Vale,” Bullet paused, choosing his words carefully. “Boss, she’s hysterical…I can’t get anything out of her and she won’t let us out of her sight. It’s just me and Demon here. I sent everyone else out to find out where the fuck that scumbag crawled off to.”_

  
_Rio’s body was vibrating with white-hot rage as he finally made it to his car and slammed the door shut. “Tell her I’m on my way and no one fucking touch her.” He left no room for argument as he hung up the phone and threw it down in the cup holder. He growled, shifting gears and zig-zagging through traffic to get to her. “Elizabeth,” he sighed, shaking his head._

  
She had been hurt, but it wasn’t too bad. Physically. But just the thought of his contact, Rick or something as equally slimy, putting his hands on her and now the image of her hysterical in a safe house, alone—it was enough to make him see red, knuckles tightening on the wheel as his jaw ticked.

  
_Almost there, mami_. He thought to himself as he turned down the last side street that led to the house.

  
Another five minutes on that road and he was parked out front, throwing his door open and almost sprinting up the steps to the front door, swinging it open. When he stepped inside he paused, chest heaving in anger as his eyes scanned the front room. Elizabeth wasn’t there, it was just Demon texting furiously on the couch. His head snapped up when Rio walked in and he simply nodded his head off down the hallway.

  
“Any word?” Rio asked gruffly, already starting off for the cracked door at the end of the hall.

  
Demon shook his head. “Nah. Pendeja fucked off to God knows where. We’ll find him. Your girl got a couple shots off.”

  
Rio paused and looked over his shoulder at him, one side of his mouth quirked up, “Oh yeah?”

  
Demon nodded, an amused smile turning his lips just the slightest.

  
Rio shook his head on a humorless chuckle and turned to continue to his destination. He took a shaky breath before he opened the door, not knowing what he was walking into.

  
What he saw, he was certainly not prepared for. The room was sparsely furnished with a couch, coffee table and small lamp that provided a soft hue of light blanketing the room. Beth was sat on the couch, staring straight ahead as silent tears fell down her cheeks. He could see she’d gone from hysterical to catatonic and Bullet was sat beside her. He didn’t even look at Rio when he walked in. Beth was gripping one of his hands so tightly her knuckles were white and his thumb was rubbing circles on her knuckles. Bullet’s other hand was rubbing her back up and down in a soothing, sweeping motion while he looked at her, concern riddling his face. His brow was furrowed, a frown deep on his face.

“Hey,” he spoke quietly, squeezing her hand gently, “look who’s here,” he whispered, motioning with his head to Rio.

Rio’s hands were fisted on either side of him as he looked on. Finally, Bullet met his gaze and swallowed thickly when he realized how pissed off Rio was. Bullet had tried to leave Beth in the room to wait for Rio, but she had absolutely lost her shit as soon as he tried to stand up from beside her.

  
_Bullet shut his phone and turned back to Beth, taking a seat beside her. She was still hysterical, crying and talking gibberish into her hands. Bullet did not touch her whatsoever—boss’s orders and he knew better than to disobey—when he sat down. He simply sighed and put his hands on his knees. “He’s on his way, okay? Demon and I’ll be in the livin’ room if yah need us, yeah?” He told her gently and when she didn’t respond to him he went to get up and she whimpered loudly, grabbing his hand before he could move another inch._

  
_“P-please,” she cried, squeezing his hand tighter as he dutifully sat back down and started rubbing her back._

  
_“Shhh, it’s okay Ms. Elizabeth. Rio’s almost here, okay?” Bullet told her gently, running his thumb over her knuckles as they waited._

  
Beth looked up and met his eyes and his heart just shattered at the look there. It was hollow, devoid of any emotion at all. No fire, no sadness, just nothingness staring back at him. Rio’s breath caught and he coughed over a small gasp before rounding the coffee table and sitting directly in front of her. His knees were spread wide, bracketing her own knees between his. He took a deep breath and let his hands fall to her knees gently, rubbing his thumbs in small circles. Rio nodded for Bullet to leave and then let his undivided attention fall to Beth.

  
“Hey sweetheart,” he spoke quietly, gauging her reaction. Rio’s eyes scanned her face, watching for any possible micro movement. “I’m here now, okay? You’re safe. It’s just me, mami.”

  
“Rio,” Beth sobbed, lurching forward into his arms. She wrapped her arms in a vice grip around his neck and buried her face there, sobs wracking her body and leaking down his neck. He thought he was hearing things, but soon realized it was her, speaking unintelligibly into his neck. “I’m sorry! I’m _so sorry_ ,” she was repeating over and over into his skin.

  
“Hey, hey now. Stop that,” Rio told her sternly as he picked her up and spun to sit on the couch with her curled up in his lap as comfortably as they could be. Beth only whined into his neck, trying to curl in on herself.

  
“Messed—up,” she hiccupped as her fingers fluttered over his neck and shoulders, gripping the material of his shirt as if to make sure he was really here. “M—mad,” she stuttered, smoothing her thumb over his furrowed brow as if to make her point. The sobs had slowed down as he smoothed his hands down her back and up her arms and over her thighs and at the back of her neck, massaging her scalp.

  
Rio sighed, shaking his head. “Not at you, darlin’,” he told her, smoothing his thumb over the apple of her cheeks gently. “I am _livid_ at the asshole who had the audacity to put his hands on you,” Rio growled out, his grip on her tightening subconsciously.

  
Beth’s face crumpled a bit, but she only sniffled a bit and nodded as she bit down hard on her bottom lip. Rio moved his thumb from her cheek to her bottom lip, tugging it out from her teeth and rubbing over it soothingly.

  
“Now, how ‘bout you tell me exactly what happened, mama. You think you can do that?” He asked her, searching her eyes desperately to try and figure out what was going through her head.

  
Beth shuddered, but nodded as she wiped her eyes. Her grip on him loosened just the tiniest bit as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, blowing it out through her mouth. “Okay,” she said almost to herself. She steeled herself and Rio watched as she visibly compartmentalized her feelings over the situation in order to recount it to him.

  
“That’s it, baby girl, breathe and just talk to me,” he encouraged her, tucking her hair behind her ear tenderly.

  
Beth nodded again and locked her gaze with him to ground herself before she started giving her first full account of what had happened. “Well, I went to do the drop,” she started.

  
“Alone,” Rio snapped harshly.

Beth flinched, but continued, “Yes. Alone,” she gritted out, “So I got there and…”

  
_Beth knew if Rio found out she was doing this drop alone he would lose his shit on her. They’d had more than one lengthy conversation about why Beth wasn’t to go on drops alone. It was dangerous, he always said. But then why had he given her a gun if he didn’t think she was capable of protecting herself?_ In case of emergency _, his voice rang in her head, but she shoved it aside as she pulled into the empty parking lot down by the docks where the drop was supposed to go down._

  
_Most of the time with these drops she never actually saw or talked to the contact. The contact would see her pull in, leave the duffle of money near a light pole and wait for her to leave. This coupled with the fact that Ruby and Annie were both busy with either work or kids left Beth to handle this drop alone. Ruby and Annie had tried to talk her out of it, but she had none of it. She had already decided she was doing it and would call an Uber to take her back home once she was done. There was no talking Beth out of something once she made her decision so they had let it go with very obvious and noted protests._

  
_Once she put the car in park she pulled the keys out, grabbed her purse (with her gun securely inside) and pushed the door open to get out. Once she had locked it up she bent to put the keys on the wheel well and paused when she heard footsteps, steel trickling its way down her spine. They were walking towards her from her left and her purse was currently on the crook of her right elbow. Before she stood back up she positioned her purse so that her hand was wrapped around her gun, ready to pull it out if needed._

  
_The steps were getting louder as she finally stood up straight, body wound tight with anxiety, she eyed the young man walking up to her. He had stringy, black hair that hung just past his jaw with beady dark brown, almost black eyes dressed in a ratty grey hoodie that had stains and holes all over it paired with light wash blue jeans just as ratty and worn as the hoodie. He was quite the sight with a black duffel hanging limply from his left hand while his right remained inside his hoodie pocket._

  
_“There she is,” he drawled as a sleazy smile started to spread on his face._

  
_Beth bristled, grinding her teeth. “I’ll take that and be on my way then,” she said, nodding down to the black duffel bag in his hands. “Keys are in the wheel well as usual.” Her tone was clipped, trying to speed this exchange up as much as possible. She should be in an Uber by now._

  
_“Heard a lot ‘bout you, Red,” he told her, eyeing her in a way so unlike Rio it made her skin crawl. “Didn’ really do you justice though, you know?” He smirked meanly, gesturing to her body lewdly. “Think I can get a spin when bossman’s done wit’ yah?” This guy taunted her, stepping into her space until she could smell the cigarettes and alcohol pouring off of him in waves._

  
_Beth almost gagged, but held it back as she steeled her gaze and met his eyes as confidently as she could. She narrowed her eyes into angry slits and stepped forward into his space. By now she had taken the safety off her gun and slid it from her purse. It was now pressed roughly against the man’s stomach. “Give me. The bag. Maybe I’ll keep this little indiscretion to myself._ Maybe _,” she demanded, pushing the gun deeper into his gut._

  
_Which is when it all went to shit. Beth saw the shift in his eyes. He thought he had her, she could see it. He was already counting this as a victory in his head. He grinned at her menacingly then made a move so quick Beth had no time to react. He suddenly pulled his own gun out from his hoodie pocket and pistol-whipped her right in the head sending Beth flying back against the car she had driven there in._

  
_The guy, Rick if she remembered correctly, was on her before she could pull her hand away from the blood dripping down the side of her head to her face. Her gun was still gripped loosely in her hand, but she couldn’t think straight. Her head was throbbing, her vision was blurry and she was only standing because she had the car behind her holding her up. For such a scrawny kid he packed a powerful punch with that gun. She swore under her breath and tried to meet his gaze. The gun felt heavy and foreign in her hand as if she had forgotten all about it._

  
_Rick took advantage of her disoriented stated and pinned her to the car with his hips, leering down the front of her shirt to her breasts now pressed against his chest. Beth was repulsed, trying to get her head to stop swimming as she felt his steadily growing erection against her hip. A bloom of panic erupted in her chest at the possibility of this guy_ touching her _like that. Rick started losing focus on the grip of his own gun in favor of roughly palming her breasts then sliding his disgusting, dirty hands down her sides and all over her waist to her ass. His fingers were digging into her skin, but in the most unappealing, rough way. She was sure she would see evidence of her attack tomorrow morning which surged her anger. Just as Rick had opened the button of her jeans and started to shove his hand inside of them she did three things with such synchronicity you’d think she’d done it several times before. In reality, she had conjured Rio’s voice in her head as she steeled herself to get this guy the fuck off of her._

Come on, darlin’, you just gon’ give up?  
Think, Elizabeth, remember what I taught you.  
You got this, mami.

_  
As soon as Rick’s hand was about to make its descent she shoved him in the chest with all the force she could muster then brought up her shaking hands with her gun poised at him in front of her and shot with no hesitation. She had got him in the shoulder just to the left of his heart. Rick cried out, immediately dropping his gun and grabbing the bloom of blood spreading on his hoodie._

_  
“Fuckin’,_ bitch _!” He growled, making a move towards again before she held the gun back up and pulled the black duffel towards her with her toe after kicking his gun far away from them both._

_  
Beth’s breath was labored, she still had blood trickling down the side of her head and it was throbbing even worse than it was originally. Her entire body ached with every breath from being shoved into a metal car, but she was unrelenting. She narrowed her eyes, flexing her finger on the trigger. “I suggest you get the fuck out of here before I put one in your head,” she said seriously, reaching down to grab the keys from the car she drove here from the wheel well._

_  
Rick took another step closer, “Oh yeah? Think you got the balls, Red?” He sneered, a mean smirk appearing on his lips._

_  
“I don’t know. Want to find out?” She asked then shot him again, but in the knee cap. “Now I’m going to leave with this money and this car and you’re going to crawl back into whatever hole you came out of. Have fun explaining to your boss where his product is. I’m sure Dom will love to hear your excuse,” Beth said sounding almost bored as she picked up her purse and the black duffel before she unlocked the car and threw both bags in the passenger seat._

_  
“_ You _know_ Dom _?” Rick questioned incredulously._

 _  
Beth smiled the most sugary sweet smile she could muster and leaned down over him a bit as he clutched at his knee. “I fucking negotiated this deal,_ bitch _,” she threw back at him then sunk into the car and peeled out of the parking lot as quickly as she could._

_  
Once on the road the adrenaline from her power trip once she had bested him started to wear off and her entire body was shaking. Her head was killing her, her back hurt and she could feel the bruises forming on her arms and hips. The throbbing was only getting worse and she realized she probably shouldn’t drive so she pulled over into a random office building parking lot and pulled her phone out.  
Her first instinct was, of course, to call Rio, but there were a few problems with that option. First, she knew he was busy going over everything for the next couple weeks and didn’t want to interrupt him and his numbers. She knew that for something like this he would want to be interrupted, but she just couldn’t bring herself to hit dial. Second, he was going to be pissed that Beth went alone and she didn’t think she could handle a lecture with this headache on top of it. Third, she clearly couldn’t go to the hospital, but still needed medical care and Bullet was their resident stitcher-upper. She scrolled back up and opted for his number instead. Beth bit her lip, but only hesitated a couple seconds before hitting his name and calling him._

_  
She had only called Bullet a handful of times and only had his number because the higher she rose, the more contact she needed with Rio’s closest boys and Rio wanted her to be able to call Bullet if he was busy or she needed medical._

_  
So, when Bullet saw her name flash on his phone he quickly turned away from what he was doing with Demon and Mr. Cisco plus a couple greenies and picked up on the third ring. “Ms. Elizabeth?” He answered with curiosity. She rarely called him, but it was normally pretty serious (except for the time Annie had stolen her phone and called him to demand why his name was ‘Bullet’ and why only Beth got to have anyone’s numbers)._

_  
“Bullet,” Beth breathed out shakily and Bullet immediately nodded to Demon and the boys to follow him out as he grabbed his car keys._

_  
“Where are you?” Bullet asked directly in a no-nonsense voice that rivaled Rio’s._

_  
Beth fumbled, looking around to find the name of a street or the building name in front of her. “I—well—hold on. Let me just—,” she stuttered as she finally found a sign. “Uh, corner of Facet and Hillen in the office building parking lot.”_

_  
“On our way, Ms. Elizabeth,” he said quickly about to click the phone shut when he heard a quiet voice, one he hadn’t heard from Beth before._

_  
“Bullet…” she trailed off quietly, clearly on the brink of tears, finally._

_  
“I know. Five minutes.” Bullet snapped his phone shut and peeled out of the warehouse parking lot, turning to Demon. “It’s Elizabeth. Somethin’ went wrong at the drop. I don’ know what, but she don’ sound good.”_

_  
Demon only shook his head, raking a hand down his face. As soon as Rio found out about this he was going to lose his shit and it would be a long night for everyone. Elizabeth had been part of their operation for long enough and was high enough in rank that even bottom feeders like Rick should know better than to mess with her. Not just because Rio would literally kill them, but there was a chance Elizabeth would do it herself if forced to in the moment. She was not the image she portrayed and all the boys knew that now and respected her, even liked having her around._

_  
Although that might have something to do with the excess of baked goods she provided…_

_  
“Not good, man, not good. Boss is gon’ be pissed. It’s gon’ be a long night boys,” Demon finally said, rolling his neck and cracking his knuckles at the thought._

_  
There was no more conversation on the drive and just as Bullet had promised they pulled up next to Beth’s car five minutes after hanging up with her. The drop happened to be close to the warehouse they were working out of that night, thank God._ _Bullet looked to his right into the drop car Beth was driving and his eyes widened in shock at the blood still pouring from her head. She was barely able to keep her eyes open as she looked back at him. When she locked eyes with him and recognized it was him she immediately burst into tears, finally feeling safe for the first time in forty-five minutes._

_  
“Fuck,” Bullet and Demon both swore under their breaths.  
_

_They both shot out of the car with a quickness—Bullet to the trunk to retrieve his medical bag and Demon to Beth’s car, ripping her door open and squatting down to her eye-level. She was hysterical now and gripped Demon’s forearm tightly, digging her nails in as she started to hyperventilate._

_  
Demon sighed slowly and locked eyes with her. “Ms. Elizabeth, I need yah t’ calm down, take a deep breath for me, aight?” He spoke slowly, but with intent and she reacted well, slowing down her breathing so that she was only crying and sniffling, still holding tight to his forearm. “Okay, good. That’s real good.”_

_  
Just then Bullet squeezed in with his med kit and started to assess the damage. He made quick work of cleaning her up superficially so they could move her to their car and get out of there. Beth was silent and motionless during this entire process besides the death grip she had on Demon’s forearm. This made for a weird shuffling of seats when they got back in the car. Bullet ordered the couple greenies to drive the drop car back to their warehouse and nodded his head for Mr. Cisco to slide upfront so Demon could stay with Beth in the back. As soon as they arrived at the safe house Bullet took care of her wounds properly, trying to coax the story of what happened out of her, but she would have none of it. As soon as he mentioned Rick, Beth would slam her eyes shut and thrash away from him so he stopped asking in order to take care of her efficiently. Once he realized he just wasn’t going to have an answer to Rio’s inevitable question, he called him, and then he waited on the couch with Beth gripping her hand until Rio got there._

_  
_ Once she had finished, her eyes squeezed shut painfully as the box she put away in her mind threatened to spring open. She could feel the tension in her body coil like a spring, her chest started to feel like it was caving in and then his hands were there. He had leaned forward, cupping her face in his hands more gently than he ever had before, and pressed the softest kiss against her forehead. When he felt the tension slowly uncoiling from her muscles he continued, kissing both cheeks, her nose, her forehead again then finally her jaw and the spot just below her ear. He swallowed thickly then breathed in her scent that was mixed with alcohol rub and antiseptic cream before nuzzling his nose in the skin of her neck.

  
“Scared me, mami,” he mumbled then, “ _Why_ didn’t you call _me_?” He asked her, desperately trying to understand her choice to call Bullet. He squeezed his hands a little tighter, sliding them to grip the back of her neck. “You know you can _always_ call me, right, sweetheart?” Rio looked almost pained as he asked, his jaw clenching and eyes pinched shut.

  
The transition between Beth and Rio being strictly (yeah, _okay_ ) business partners with her being involved on the most surface level of the business and Beth and Rio being partners in _every_ sense of the word was…clumsy to say the least. Once her divorce had finally been done with and Dean had finally moved all the way out of the house, things progressed rather quickly if you asked Beth. Rio claimed it had started a long time before that so insisted nothing was moving too quickly, only catching up to where they should be already.

  
Falling into a relationship with Rio was the easy part. He was an amazing partner in every sense of the word—most of the time. He was attentive, tactile, protective (see: possessive—insert eyeroll), and most importantly, he saw Beth for who she was underneath the role she tried to portray with the world. When Rio looked at her he saw more than a put-together PTA mom or a desperate, lonely housewife or any of the other images Beth had associated and been associated with for practically her entire life. He saw the dark passion that lay beneath the surface of that innocent face. Beth was anything besides innocent. Rio had watched her stare down the barrel of a gun (some of those times _his own_ gun) more times than he can really count now and she _never_ flinched. In fact, now she only rolled her eyes and looked bored when it happened. Opting instead to brandish her own pearl-handled gun, with a steady hand he had spent months teaching her, and narrowing her eyes speaking lowly and severely enough that her ‘opponent’ normally simply lowered their weapon and gave her what she wanted in the first place, whatever it was. It had taken Rio over a year to fully immerse her in this world, his world, and it had been slow-going in the beginning. Her strict rule against killing anyone only waning completely when a meet went bad and it was just her and Rio there. Their contact had pulled a gun on them thinking that since Rio had his gun stripped at the door, they would be unarmed. No one checked Beth at these meets, always thinking she was Rio’s plaything with no real role in the actual business. That was their own mistake. _  
_

_“Just like we practiced, ma,” Rio had murmured, jaw clenching as he squeezed her thigh._

  
_So, she had stood up quickly, letting her purse drop to the ground from her lap to reveal her gun, safety off, cocked and aimed right at their contact’s head._

  
_“Take one more fucking step,” she threatened, flexing her finger on the trigger, “I_ dare _you.”_

  
_Their contact laughed, taking his safety off and swinging the gun in Beth’s direction, but before he could even cock the gun she had let off one single shot that hit straight between the eyes._

  
Ever since that night Beth had been seen in a new light, respected amongst their boys and—most—contacts alike. Not many people could say they saved the boss’ life so single-handedly. From that point it was easier to trust her to do what needed to be done and she quickly took to being the boss bitch he always knew she could be. Beth was like Rio in the way she was able to turn the business side of her on when they were working and off when they were with the kids. It turned Rio on more than he cared to admit when she bossed up in front of him and just as much when she was caring for their children in some capacity or another. Marcus absolutely adored Beth and her kids and the same could be said for Kenny, Emma, Danny, and Jane. The seven of them had quickly fallen into a routine and the kids expected Rio to be there most of the time and when he wasn’t, well, they missed him, sometimes more than they missed their own father. Dean had moved forty-five minutes away in a houseboat. He took the kids every other weekend and made it to as many games and recitals and plays as he could, but he was disconnected from them, resented their relationship with Rio even though Rio always went out of his way not to overstep.

  
They had made everything official about six months ago and their routine worked for them and everyone involved. Their relationship sometimes made business more dangerous, but they were careful and overly cautious. They also made some pretty stark examples of how they would handle people who questioned them on their business very early on in their relationship. Things were running pretty smoothly so for a blatant sign of disrespect like this to occur had Rio’s mind running a mile a minute. And he just _could not_ grasp why Beth hadn’t called _him_ and opted for Bullet instead.

  
Beth sighed quietly, sniffled then reached up with a shaky hand to smooth his furrowed brow and his face instantly relaxed under her touch. He leaned into her fingers, turning his face into her palm and nuzzling it. “I didn’t want you to be angry with me for going alone and I knew you were busy and I knew Bullet was less than ten minutes away with a med kit.”

  
Rio’s eyes popped back open and he locked gazes with her. His eyes were dark, a storm brewing the longer he thought about what had happened to her. “I am _never_ too busy for _you_. Do you understand me?” He told her severely, pressing his forehead to hers. “I could have _lost you_ tonight, Elizabeth.” His voice cracked on her name, squeezing his eyes shut again and shaking his head. “ _Fuck_ ,” he cursed, grinding his teeth to try and control himself.

  
Beth leaned her whole body into him, burying her face in his neck and pressing her entire body flush against his. Rio immediately wrapped his arms around her waist to her back and splayed his large hands there holding her tight to him and just feeling her, listening to her heartbeat. He let out a shaky breath and kissed the pulse point on her neck.

  
“I’m sorry I scared you, baby,” she whispered into his neck, running her nails up and down the back of his head and kissing his neck softly in apology.

  
Rio only nodded into her chest where his head now rested and kissed her breastbone chastely in response.

  
“I know you’re itching to go find him,” she whispered and his hold on her tightened considerably, tension snapping taunt in his body.

  
“Had t’ see you, feel you,” Rio said quickly, squeezing her hips.

  
“I know,” Beth said quietly, leaning down to kiss him slowly, sucking on his bottom lip. “I’m fine, go handle it, _partner_.”

  
Rio growled and kissed her harshly, surely bruising her lips with the force of it. Beth responded just as severely and then it was all tongue and teeth and their lips slanting over each other’s hungrily. Beth gasped in pain as he squeezed a little too tight on her side and his head snapped back, immediately lifting her shirt. When his head snapped back up to her his eyes were black. He was clenching his jaw so tightly it looked uncomfortable and his nostrils flared.

  
“Nobody touches what’s mine,” he growled out, kissing her again possessively before he pulled back and stood them both up.

  
Beth stood easily with him but stumbled a bit once she was on her feet. She swore and held a hand to her head as she clung to Rio. Rio wrapped an arm tightly around her waist making sure to avoid her bruises and started walking them out of the bedroom and to the living room where Bullet and Demon still were. Bullet was on the phone, pacing and running a hand over his head anxiously. His face was twisted in anger as he barked out orders to whoever was on the other end before snapping his phone shut and shoving it in pocket. Demon was sat in the same spot he was when Rio arrived hammering away on his cellphone only tearing his eyes away when he heard them enter.

  
“Found him,” Bullet answered before Rio could ask. “Holed himself up in some shithole motel down on 4th. Cisco got a tip from the front desk after we put out some feelers, he’s on his way there now with Dags and Carlos.”

  
The hand he didn’t have on Beth fisted at his other side as his jaw ticked. “Let’s go,” Rio spat, nodding to the door. “Demon, you take Elizabeth to Annie’s and don’t let them out of your fucking sight do you understand me?” He grit out, looking down at Beth towards the end.

  
“Yes, boss.”

  
“Yes, baby.”

  
It wasn’t normally that easy to get her to listen so he looked down at her curiously, making sure she was serious. He found what he was looking for and leaned down to kiss her softly, cupping her cheek and running his thumb over her cheek. “Thank you,” he whispered against her lips. It was rare she didn’t fight him when he wanted her to stay back on something, but he figured she could tell how upset he was and it wouldn’t even be worth the argument, only serve to make his rage worse.

With that, Rio released her and pushed her gently towards Demon who placed his hand on the small of her back and lead her out to the car. Rio and Bullet were right behind them jumping into Rio’s car and peeling off to God knows where. Beth and Demon settled into the car and each took a breath then laughed quietly before pulling off much slower than Rio.   
They were on the road for about five minutes when Demon stole a glance at her then reached over and squeezed her hand quickly. “How yah doin’ over there, Ms. ‘Lizabeth?” He asked her, flicking his eyes between her and road.

  
Beth smiled over at him softly and patted his hand where it rested on the gear shift. “I’m fine, Demon. Nothing a glass of bourbon and a good night’s sleep with Rio won’t fix.”

  
Demon snorted at that, bringing a hand to his mouth to cover it with a cough. “Right, right,” he laughed out shortly.

  
Beth laughed lightly and smacked his arm. “I meant _literal_ sleep, D. Perv,” she admonished him, looking out the window as they pulled up to Annie’s complex. “You know, you really don’t have to—”

  
Demon fixed her with a hard stare. “C’mon, Red. You know as well as I do if I don’t come in here with you we’ll both be in deep shit, yeah?”

  
Beth rolled her eyes with a small smile playing at her lips and reached to get out of the car just as Demon did. He met her around the side of the car and placed his hand on the small of her back again as he led her inside and up to Annie’s apartment.

  
It was late and Annie had clearly been asleep before opening the door for them. Her hair was sticking out in a hundred different directions and her eyes were just barely cracked open at first. “What the…?” She trailed off when she saw Demon standing closely behind Beth. Annie’s gaze finally landed on the gash at her hairline and she gasped. “Beth, what the hell?” She yanked the door back wider so they could come in and then shut and locked it behind her. “Are you, like, okay? I mean, obviously not _okay_ okay, but like, you’re walking, so?” Annie rambled, hands fidgeting together as she paced in front of the coffee table.

  
Demon chuckled and patted Annie’s shoulder as he passed her to grab a kitchen chair and post up at the door. Annie sunk down on the couch next to Beth and curled herself into Beth’s side, laying her head on her shoulder.

  
Beth sighed and brought her hand up to pat Annie’s hair lovingly. “I’m fine, Annie. Bullet took care of me. I’d rather not retell the story again right now so how about you just pour us some bourbon and put on some trashy reality TV while we wait?” Beth suggested, curling her legs underneath her and settling into the couch.

  
“Wait for what?” Annie asked as she got up to pour the bourbon.

“For Rio to handle it,” Beth explained, taking a generous sip of bourbon.

  
Annie grimaced a little, but nodded and snuggled back up to Beth as they waited. Demon didn’t relay any updates and the girls didn’t ask. They sunk into the couch, FaceTimed Ruby and laughed over rich, dramatic brats until they finally fell asleep huddled on the couch. Demon looked on affectionately, though he would deny that if asked. The girls had really grown on them over time. They were refreshing in what was normally a pretty monotonous, albeit violent, world. He shook his head, focusing back on the task at hand. Demon had his gun held on his lap as he listened for anything in the hallway. It was just a waiting game at this point.

  
Meanwhile, across town, Rio, Bullet, Mr. Cisco, Dags and Carlos were busy handling Rick. Rio and Bullet had met them all at the motel where they knew Rick was trying to recoup. Rio slammed his door shut as they stormed to the room number Cisco had given them and banged the door open noisily. Inside the room looked like a tornado had swept through. They had passed Carlos outside keeping watch and inside Rick was tied to a desk chair in the middle of the room with blood dripping down his nose, chest heaving raggedly. His bullet wounds were wrapped sloppily in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding and Rick could hardly keep his eyes open. Dags was posted up on the desk next to Rick holding his gun, bored, as he watched the scumbag rasp for breath.

  
“Rick, Rick, Rick,” Rio started with a menacing smile stretched across his lips. Rick only groaned in pain, dropping his chin to his chest.

  
Mr. Cisco grabbed Rick by the back of his head and yanked back, forcing Rick to look up at Rio. “You fucking look at him when he’s speaking to you, you fucking cockroach.” Mr. Cisco backhanded him quickly. “Wake the fuck up, prick.”

  
Rio laughed outright, taking his gun from the back of his pants, cocking it and pushing it underneath Rick’s chin. “So, I heard you put yah hands on somethin’ that don’ belong to you, _Rick_ ,” Rio said, spitting his name with venom. “You thought she’d be an easy target, yeah?” Rio taunted, laughing again as he looked to the boys, “ _Elizabeth_ , an easy target?” He shook his head as the boys shrugged, chuckling like they had no idea why Rick would assume something so stupid. “I ain’t blinded by some good pussy, _Dick_ , she can handle herself, clearly,” Rio laughed out, gesturing to his bullet wounds. “You jus’ _had_ t’ put yah hands on her, huh? Not smart, man, not smart.” Rio moved the gun from under Rick’s chin and reeled his arm back to pistol-whip him. “Got anythin’ to say for yourself? Anythin’ you wan’ me t’ pass along t’ Dom? He’s probably wonderin’ where the fuck his product is by now.”

  
“Rio, I—Look, I didn’t think—,” Rick stuttered around bruised and swollen lips.

  
“That’s right, yah didn’t think,” Rio held his gun up, pointed directly between Rick’s eyes, “You don’t touch what’s mine,” Rio growled out and pulled the trigger once, watching as Rick’s body slumped over lifelessly into the chair. “Clean it up,” Rio ordered, pulling his phone out to call Dom quickly.

  
While Bullet, Dags and Mr. Cisco went about clean up, Rio stepped outside to have his conversation with Dom.

  
“Rio…? Can’t be good if I’m getting a call from you,” Dom answered quickly, already knowing something had to have gone down.

  
“Your boy Rick don’ know how to keep his hands to himself,” Rio told him vaguely, “Tried to rip off Elizabeth,” Rio’s hand balled into a fist as his jaw clenched, “Put his fuckin’ hands on her,” he ground out, his entire body vibrating with rage all over again.

  
Dom was silent for a few beats, then, “Rio, man, I am so sorry. Look, I’ll find out where he stashed the product and the money and you can have your money, I swear.”

  
Rio laughed humorlessly, “I told you he _tried_ to rip her off. ‘Lizabeth can hold her own. She left that lot with my product _and_ your money, like a real boss. Got two shots off on your boy, too.” Rio felt heat pooling low in his belly as he thought about what it must have looked like to watch her take the power back from that dirtbag.

  
Dom inhaled sharply and swore under his breath. “So, I’m assuming you’ve already found him…”

  
Rio smirked to himself, “Yeah, it’s…taken care of.”

  
Dom sighed, but relented, “Okay so, what about the product? I’ve got clients waiting on it.”

  
Rio flipped into business mode and clicked his tongue, “Rick should’ve thought about that before he put his fuckin’ hands on my goddamn woman,” Rio spat out, gripping the railing he was leaning against tightly.

  
“I know, I know and he’s paid for it, right? And I’m sorry. I’ll handle things personally from now on if that will help, but I need that product, Rio, please,” Dom tried to placate Rio.

  
Rio rolled his shoulders back and bit the inside of his cheek, “I’ll let you pick this product up, _personally_ , but _Elizabeth_ will be gettin’ your cut from this drop. You know, as an apology of sorts,” Rio drawled, leaving no room for argument.

  
Dom swore again, but cleared his throat and spoke lowly, defeated, “Right, right. Just text me when and where.”

  
“Good choice, Dom,” Rio taunted and promptly hung up the phone, turning to Carlos. “Grab Dags, text Dom a when and where to pick up that car. Don’t hand it over unless he’s got ‘Lizabeth’s extra cut.”

  
Carlos nodded and headed down where Dags and Mr. Cisco were loading up Rick along with anything else that could lead back to them from the hotel room into the SUV Mr. Cisco had taken there. Carlos grabbed Dags and they took off in a black sedan to head back to the warehouse. It was just Rio and Bullet left standing by railing outside the hotel room. Bullet stood silent next to Rio, waiting. Rio let out a long, shuddering breath.

  
“I almost fuckin’ lost her, man,” Rio let out, pinching the bridge of his nose then resting his head in his hands. “ _Fuck_ ,” he swore.  
  


Bullet swung his hand down on Rio’s shoulder and squeezed tightly, “But you didn’t and you’re not gonna’.” Bullet let go of his shoulder and clapped his back a couple times. “C’mon, let’s go bring her home, yeah?”

  
Rio nodded and took a deep breath as he pushed himself off the railing and headed down to his car where he let Bullet drive them to Annie’s. Bullet was Rio’s closest, oldest friend and right hand man in business. He knew all of Rio’s secrets and weaknesses and he knew he was beating himself up about this. Bullet also knew he would never admit it, but was barely holding it together which is why he sent the other guys off and left Bullet with him. He knew Bullet wasn’t going to look at him differently for being genuinely upset, not just raging about what had happened to Elizabeth.

  
“He fuckin’ _touched_ her, Bullet. What if he had—?”

  
“But he didn’t,” Bullet said firmly, stopping that train of thought. “As usual, your girl handled business. That prick didn’t know what hit him.”

  
Rio sighed, but nodded his agreement as he bit on the inside of his cheek anxiously. He hated that Beth had gotten hurt. It’s not like it hasn’t happened before. Meetings and drops go bad all the time, but he was there with her every other time. He was there to protect her and take care of her, but not this time. She had been alone even though he had warned her against it time and time again. He couldn’t believe Annie and Ruby had let her do it in the first place! He could normally count on them for back up when it came to her safety. It was one of the only things he and her girls almost always agreed on. On that thought, he whipped his phone out and called Ruby. She answered on the second ring.

  
“Rio?”

  
“Why _the fuck_ would you let her go alone tonight?” He snapped, sounding harsher than he intended to.

  
“Rio, I swear, we _tried_ dude. We _insisted_ she call you or even one of the boys when something came up with Sara, but she refused and you know her, Rio. Once her mind is set, there’s no changing it,” Ruby explained, hands flailing around as she walked around her kitchen island talking into her phone speaking a mile a minute. She had been expecting this call once she heard what happened and took no offense to his snappish tone. She was used to it at this point.

  
“Shoulda’ called me, Rube. We almost lost her,” he said quietly, sighing and rubbing his eyes wearily.

  
Ruby paused, gripping the island and closing her eyes briefly. She thought about calling Rio, she really did, but Beth had sworn he was too busy to deal with this and she could _handle_ it, damn it. “I know. Won’t make that mistake again, trust me,” Ruby sighed, “Did you…you know, handle it?”

  
Rio clenched his jaw, running his tongue along his teeth. “Yup.”

  
“Good,” Ruby said resolutely, “Now go to her, please,” this quietly, barely a whisper over the phone line.

  
Rio nodded to himself, “Yeah, on my way now. I’m sure she’ll call you tomorrow.”

  
“She will.”

  
They both paused, the silence starting to blanket them.

  
“Thank you, Rio. For always putting her first and for always being there to take care of her. It…well it means more than I think you could understand. So thank you, genuinely,” Ruby intoned quietly, but firmly making sure Rio heard her and understood.

  
It had taken _time_ for Ruby to be okay with Rio and Beth being RioandBeth. Long months of Rio continuously proving almost every theory she had of him wrong. He was _amazing_ with the kids, all of them. Once Ruby and Stan warmed up to him he had met Sara and Harry, immediately winning Harry over. Sara was pretty icy at first, but Rio eventually wiggled his way into her heart as well. Ruby remembered the first time Sara really interacted with Rio. It was at Ruby’s house, everyone had come for lasagna. After dinner the adults posted up on the patio while the kids ran around outside for a while.

  
_“So, you think Sara will ever not be afraid of me?” Rio leaned over and whispered to Beth._

  
_Beth gave him a small smile and pat his cheek, “I’m sure she’ll come around. Give her some time.” Beth leaned to close the gap and give him a quick kiss then turned back to the group._

  
_Rio nodded absently and looked out at the kids running around playing tag it looked like. Everyone except Sara who was sat against a tree in the corner of the yard with her arms crossed over her chest and a look that could kill on her face. “I’ll be right back,” Rio told Beth, kissing her on the top of her head as he got up to walk over to Sara._

  
_Beth, Ruby, Stan and Annie watched with curiosity as he jogged over to Sara, slowing as he got to her and simply sat next to her, leaning against the tree with her._

  
_“I would kill to be a fly on that tree,” Annie muttered, taking a generous sip of her wine._

  
_“He really, really wants her to like him. It’s sweet,” Beth said with a small smile._

  
_Stan chuckled and squeezed Ruby’s hand lightly, “Yeah he’s always asking me for tips on how to win her over. The effort is off the charts. We tried talking to Sara, too, but you know her,” Stan shrugged and sipped his beer as they watched the scene unfold from afar._

  
_Rio plopped down next to Sara against the tree, but didn’t say anything at first. Sara only huffed and crossed her arms tighter across her chest with a fixed scowl._

  
_Rio bumped her shoulder with his. “So, whatcha doin’ over here by yourself, stork stack?”_

  
_Sara rolled her eyes and moved a couple inches away from him._

  
_“Aight, I’ll wait,” Rio said noncommittally, getting comfortable against the tree watching the other kids play._

  
_Silence blanketed them for the next five minutes and forty-two seconds before Sara cracked._

  
_“I don’t_ want _to play tag,” Sara admonished, sweeping her arms out, “They just_ don’t _get it, Rio.”_

  
_“Don’t get what, shorty?”_

  
_Sara fiddled with the hem of her shirt and shook her head quietly._

  
_Rio studied her face and saw the tears welling in her eyes, the slight pinch of her face. “C’mon, short stack, let’s go get some ice cream, yeah?” Rio enticed her, putting a hand on her back before he stood and outstretched his hand to her._

  
_Sara looked up at him skeptically, but took his offered hand, standing up and brushing herself off. Suddenly she was being lifted off the ground and she squealed as she landed promptly on Rio’s shoulder. “Rio!” She giggled, grabbing onto his head with one hand and his wrist that was holding her up. “I can walk!” Sara laughed out._

  
_Rio was grinning, laughing loudly with her as he carried her towards the patio. The other kids heard the commotion and started running towards them. Rio turned and held his hand up in a ‘stop’ signal. All seven kids stopped in their tracks._

  
_“Ah, ah, ah. Go back to your game of tag. Sara and I are going to have some fun of our own, yeah?”_

  
_“But Rio—,” Jane started to whine, pulling on his sleeve._

  
_“Lil’ mama, we talked about this, yeah?” Rio admonished her, raising an eyebrow down at her._

  
_Jane nodded sadly and let go of his sleeve. “Come on, guys. We all get special time with Rio and it’s Sara’s turn,” then she slapped Harry’s arm and ran off, “You’re it!” That was all it took for the kids to run back off to the yard._

  
_Sara was still smiling when they walked past the adults to go inside the house. Rio winked at them conspiratorially and jostled Sara playfully before they reached the door. She screeched over a laugh as she held tighter to him. He had to stoop down to get through the door, but he managed and carried her into the kitchen, setting her on the island while he rummaged for ice cream._

  
_“So, explain it to me, short stack. What don’t they understand, hm?” Rio asked her as he grabbed two spoons and brought the ice cream over to her, handing her a spoon. Sara dove in immediately before answering._

  
_She turned to him with a chocolate mustache and huffed. “Sometimes I get tired before them and I just want to play with toys or watch a movie, but they always want to run around the whole time,” she told him sadly, stabbing at the ice cream again with a pout._

_Rio gave her a half smile as he wiped the chocolate off her lip with his thumb. “Cos’ o’ your kidney, yeah?” Rio asked her, giving her in undivided attention._

_  
“Yes!” Sara admonished, spreading her arms out. “It’s like, sometimes they forget I was sick, that I’m not like them,” she finished sadly, sniffling as she took another bite of ice cream and held back her tears._

_  
Rio stood in front of her and lifted her chin with his index finger so she was looking at him with unshed tears. “Hey, just because you can’t run around for hours on end doesn’t mean you any less than them. You know what that means? It means when everyone else is sweaty and tired, you’re clean and refreshed playing referee on the sidelines bossing everyone around, yeah?” He told her, needling her side until she was laughing again. Rio scooped her up from the island and Sara instinctually wrapped herself around him, laying her head in the crook of his neck with her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs hooked around his torso._

_  
Rio shifted her better on his hip then pat her hair gently before rubbing her back as he put the ice cream away and walked them back outside. “You wanna sit wit’ me and the adults, short stack?” He asked her, patting her back softly._

_  
Sara only nodded and snuggled in, getting comfortable. Rio walked back outside with a grin a mile wide on his face as he took his seat back beside Beth. He settled Sara in his lap and continued to rub her back as he picked his beer back up. Rio looked over at Beth and winked, the grin never leaving his face._

_  
_ “You don’ gotta thank me. That woman…” Rio sighed as he trailed off, “she’s _everything_ , Ruby.”

“Mmm,” Ruby hummed, “I know that, too.”

  
“Talk tomorrow, yeah?” Rio drawled.

  
“Yup, now go take care of our girl, okay?”

  
“Always,” Rio said quietly. When he looked up they were at Annie’s apartment building. He turned to look at Bullet and nodded. “Thanks man, I’ll send Demon down and y’all can ride home in his car.”  
Bullet nodded and handed the keys to Rio. “Sounds good, boss. You need anything else tonight?”

  
They both stepped out and started walking towards the entrance. “Nah, just make sure that shit wit’ Dom goes down correct. Anythin’ else happens tonight, you handle it. I don’ want anyone interruptin’ me for at least twelve hours, yeah?” Rio paused as they reached the door and raised an eyebrow at him.

  
“Yeah, boss. I’ll hold it down,” Bullet promised, clapping him on the shoulder before shoving him towards the door. “Go on then. I got this.”

  
Rio nodded, gave him a small smirk and pushed through the doors to Annie’s apartment complex, quickly walking up to the third floor and knocking sharply on her door.  
Inside, the girls startled on the couch as Demon surged up from his seat and looked out the peep hole. Seeing Rio, he quickly opened the door for him and stood out of the way to let him in. Rio turned to him and nodded. “Bullet’s waiting for you downstairs,” Rio told him then clapped down on his shoulder, “Thanks man, really.”

  
Demon nodded back then clapped Rio’s shoulder as well, “Always, boss. No question.” Demon turned and looked right at Beth, narrowing his eyes. “Don’ scare us like that again. Bullet looked like he was gon’ shit his pants when you called.”

  
Beth nodded and rubbed at her eyes sleepily. It was well past two in the morning at this point. “Sorry, D,” she mumbled, pouting at him. “I’ll make some lemon squares.”

  
Demon perked up immediately and rubbed his hands together as he made for the door ushering a swift, “ _Yes_ ,” under his breath as he went.

  
Annie was still basically asleep, leaning against Beth mumbling incoherently and clinging to her arm. Beth slowly disentangled them and Rio swept in to lift Annie into his arms and take her to her bed where he laid her blanket over her then wrote a note to stick to her forehead and turned the light off before shutting the door behind him. He walked back to the living room where Beth stood next to the couch worrying her bottom lip and wringing her hands.

  
Rio walked up to her, untangled her hands to lace their fingers together and pressed his forehead against hers, breathing her in. He swallowed thickly and finally locked eyes with her. Beth could see the torment there, the anguish at the thought of losing her and it made her lip quiver in guilt.

  
“I’m _so_ sorry, Rio,” she whispered, sniffling as she let go of his hands to cradle his face. Beth nudged her nose against his and brushed her lips against his, feather-light.

  
Rio nodded against her, leaning in for a longer kiss. He anchored one hand on her lower back and the other cupped her ass possessively as he slanted his mouth over hers. Beth moaned into his mouth and he slipped his tongue against hers, squeezing her ass. When he pulled back he scraped his teeth on her lower lip then kissed it softly. “I know you are, baby. I just—I can’t even fathom losing you, Elizabeth. I can’t do any of this alone. Can you imagine? Me raising all five of those hooligans alone, with _Dean’s_ help? C’mon, mama, you can’t do that to me,” he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood a bit as he used his pinky to brushed some hair off her forehead.

  
Beth laughed lightly, running her thumb along his jaw, “No, I can’t imagine that. So it’s a good thing I’m not going anywhere, yeah?” She said softly, leaning up to kiss his bottom lip softly. “Let’s go _home_ ,” Beth pleaded softly, moving her hands from his face to wrap around his torso tightly. She buried her face in his chest and relaxed into him.

  
Rio nodded and kissed her hair affectionately while he rubbed her back. “Yeah, baby. Let’s go home. I left Annie a post-it on her forehead so she knows where you went.”

  
Beth released one side of him and let him walk them out of the apartment complex with her wrapped around his side. Rio opened her door for her and helped her get in before shutting her door and rounding the car to get in the driver’s seat and take them home. 

  
The ride home was quiet as Rio rested his hand on her thigh. Beth wrapped her arm around his and laid her hand on top of his, brushing her thumb over his knuckles. Twenty minutes later they pulled up to the house they had bought together recently and shut off the car engine once in the driveway. Their kids were with their respective co-parents, so the house was empty. Beth was grateful for that fact. She didn’t think she could handle the kids awake and ready to go in basically five hours. All she wanted to do was strip down, take a long, hot shower and curl up around Rio in their bed for at least ten hours.

  
Rio unlocked the front door and led them inside. First he shucked off his coat and shoes then helped her with hers, gently pulling her boots off, kissing each calf before helping her shrug Demon’s hoodie off her shoulders. He leaned down and kissed her forehead then her nose, both cheeks, both eyelids and finally the softest kiss on her bottom lip. Rio nudged her nose with his then took her hand and led them to their master suite on the first floor then to their en suite where he started to undress her slowly, helping her step out of her jeans.

  
Beth set her hands on Rio’s shoulders as she stepped out of her jeans and kicked them to the side. Next he pulled off her socks and tossed them with her pants while she pulled off her shirt and bra. He was knelt in front of her, staring up at her reverently as he swallowed hard on his emotion. Rio let out a shaky breath as he kissed his way up each leg until he was stood on his knees placing open-mouthed kisses on her soft stomach as he wrapped his arms around her waist tightly. He buried his face there in her belly and nuzzled the skin there with his beard then kissed her navel softly. Rio loosened his hold just barely to move his head and kiss over every bruise that bastard left on her flawless skin. Only he was allowed to mark her.

  
Beth sighed, placing one hand atop Rio’s head and keeping the other one on his shoulder as she looked down at him. She would never get over the way Rio worshipped her body. And that was the only word for it—worship. As many times as Rio had seen her naked and sated in their bed, he still looked at her as if he was memorizing every inch of her skin each and every time he saw her. She gave him a small smile, running her nails over his scalp as he kissed his way up her chest. He paused at her breasts, holding their weight in each hand as he left open-mouthed kisses all over them, taking his time pressing his tongue flat against each nipple before sucking gently and leaving them each with a kiss. He continued kneading her breasts gently as left a trail of sucks and bites and licks up her neck, her jaw to her ear. Rio kissed the shell of her ear softly then dropped his hands from her breasts to wrap around her waist and dropped his face into the hair hanging loosely around her neck. Rio dragged his nose up and down the skin of her neck, breathing her in deeply and squeezing her body to his as gently as he could manage. He was trying to keep his emotion tamped down, but he couldn’t stop thinking about it, about losing her. He shuddered against her then sucked a large bruise into the junction of her neck and shoulder, soothing it with his tongue once he was satisfied with the mark. Beth moaned lowly, digging her nails into his shoulder.

“Hey,” she said softly, running her nails gently over his scalp, “I’m right here, Rio. You didn’t lose me and you’re not going to. Isn’t that what you always tell me, hm? When you come home bruised and bloodied?”

  
Rio lifted his face from her neck and looked down at her with a pinched expression, but nodded, letting his forehead press against hers. “I know, _I know_ ,” he told her, frustrated, “But I wasn’t _there_ and I _should_ have been. You never should have been in that situation in the first place. God! I just—,” his voice cut off as he chewed on his bottom lip, looking away from her for a moment. Rio sighed and looked back into her eyes, raising his hands to cup her cheeks. “ _I can’t lose you like that_ ,” he ground out, clenching his jaw tightly as it ticked.

  
As he was talking, Beth had begun to undress him as well. She started with his hoodie, unzipping and pushing it off unceremoniously behind him then she started on the buttons of his shirt, finally able to push that off as well. She took a moment then to run her hands all over his chest and around to his back. She felt his muscles rippling below her fingers and a full-body shudder as she let her fingers run feather-light along the waist of his jeans before unbuttoning and unzipping him. Beth shoved them down with his boxers and waited for him to step out of them. He did, but hadn’t lost his hold on her face. Beth placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned up on her tip-toes to kiss him slowly, pouring herself into the kiss as he groaned against her mouth.

  
Beth pulled back from him and took a step back. Rio let his hands fall from her cheeks and let her take his hand, pulling him towards the shower. She smiled softly and started the water, making it as hot as she could stand before stepping in and pulling him with her. Once inside the shower stall she turned to face him and hugged him to her tightly. Beth lay her head against his chest and let herself relax into him fully. Rio wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head before moving them more directly under the water. For a few minutes they stood silently as the water ran over their bodies, just holding each other, before Beth finally spoke.

  
“Rio,” she started quietly, turning her head so her chin rested on his chest and she could look up at him, “I love you and I love what we have,” at this she felt his body stiffen, looking down at her curiously. “What we do? It’s dangerous. You yourself has reiterated this to me time after time, right?” He nodded once, sharp before she continued. “Right, so tonight sucked and I might have a few nightmares about that prick, but we handled it, yeah? Just like we always do.”

  
Rio looked down at Beth, running his fingers through her wet hair, pushing it off her face as he started to soap up her body, cleaning off any dried blood and being careful to avoid touching the gash on her head. He couldn’t help but sigh and smile softly as she spoke. Rio had found everything he never knew he needed or wanted in Beth. It was a shock to his system at first and he hadn’t been able to admit it for a long time, pawning it off as lust or infatuation. He thought for sure once he scratched that itch that would be it. The madness would stop. He couldn’t have been more wrong. It only made him want her more than he already did. Once he realized this _thing_ wasn’t just going to go away, he dove in head first. He pursued her until she had no choice but to acknowledge what was going on between them. He didn’t intend on ever letting her go again.

  
“I love you, too,” he replied softly as he started to lather her hair up for her while she soaped up his body.

  
“Nothing and mean _nothing_ will ever come between us. Okay, baby?” She questioned him, flicking her eyes over his face as she rinsed him off and let him rinse the shampoo out of her hair. They skipped her conditioner as the water started to run cold and stepped out, turning the water off.

  
“Ain’t nothin’ ever gon’ keep me from you, mami,” Rio agreed, “Not ever,” he told her with conviction, toweling them both off quickly before walking her backwards into their bedroom. He leaned down and captured her lips in a bruising kiss, squeezing her ass tightly in both hands as her knees hit the edge of their bed. “Sit, baby,” he panted as he released her lips and bent his knees to kneel in front of her as she sat on the edge of the bed. He placed his hands on the tops of her thighs and locked eyes with her. “I wanna make you feel good, ma. Can I do that?” Rio rasped out, praying she let him do this for her. He knew that with what almost happened tonight, she may not want to be touched in that way. He swallowed hard as he waited for her to answer.

  
Beth spread her knees for him, leaning back on her hands and biting her lip with a small nod. “Please,” she whispered, reaching down to palm his cheek. He leaned into her hand for a moment before looping his arms under her thighs and bringing them over his shoulders.

  
Rio pulled her closer to the edge then pressed soft kisses up her inner thigh on each side before he placed a kiss right at her center. Beth sighed at the contact, letting one hand hold her body up and the other fall to the top of his head as she watched him. He looked up at her as he used the flat of his tongue to lick a straight line up her entrance to her clit where he circled his tongue then sucked gently. Beth inhaled sharply then let out a breathy moan as his tongue worked her clit rhythmically. Rio pulled one of his arms from beneath her thigh and ran his middle finger along her entrance, coating it in her juices before pushing it inside of her. Beth gasped, her lips falling open in a silent ‘O’ at the sudden intrusion.

  
“God damn, Elizabeth. All this for me, hm?” He questioned, listening to Beth whimper when his tongue left her.

  
“ _Yes_ ,” she moaned, “It’s always for you,” she panted, looking down at him with half-lidded eyes.

  
Rio growled at that, pushing a second finger inside of her and crooking them so they rubbed just the right spot. Beth’s chest was heaving as her hips bucked to meet his fingers, needing _more_. So he doubled down with his mouth, licking and sucking at her sensitive flesh until she was writhing around him. He had to pull his fingers free when she slammed her thighs closed on his head, but quickly replaced them with his tongue when she whimpered in protest.

  
Rio paused, speaking into her cunt, “I got you, baby, I got you,” he murmured, the vibrations adding an entirely new sensation that had Beth keening, whining loudly when he sucked hard on her clit.

  
“ _Rio_ ,” she moaned slowly, digging her nails into his scalp as he held his head in place. “God— _Fuck_. Don’t stop. So cl-ose,” she stuttered out, finally dropping to lay flat against the bed, unable to hold herself up any longer.

  
Rio took the opportunity to spread her legs a bit wider so he could use his fingers again, quickly pushing two fingers back inside of her and using them to fuck her while his mouth focused on her clit. Beth gasped, groaning her appreciation as she fisted the sheets tightly in her fingers. She could feel the oncoming orgasm at the edges of her fuzzy mind, let the heat pool low as her muscles began to spasm, clenching around his fingers. Rio hummed against her, recognizing she was close. Rio knew exactly what she needed, twisting his fingers inside of her and putting pressure on the just the right spot, pulsing his fingers there then bit on her clit just enough to push her over.

  
Beth screamed out, her whole body tensing as his name ripped from her throat like a prayer while she came apart above him. Her vision swam as her orgasm rolled over her in waves, crashing into her with every muscle spasm and flick of his tongue. Rio helped her ride the wave of her orgasm, removing his fingers and lapping at her cunt, moaning at the taste of her on his lips. Finally, when she couldn’t possibly take anymore she pushed his head away then grabbed blindly at him to pull him on the bed with her.

  
Rio followed her willingly, moving them both so they were centered on their bed. He hovered halfway over her, brushing the hair out of her face before leaning down to kiss her slowly. Beth could taste herself on his lips and sighed, pushing her tongue against his lazily before he pulled back. He ran his hand down the length of her body from her neck down to her mid-thigh and back up, squeezing her soft flesh as he went. “Taste so good, mama,” he murmured against her neck, kissing her softly and trailing them down to her collarbone where he sucked another mark into her creamy skin. Beth whimpered, biting down hard on her lips as her hands roamed his back and shoulders, pulling him all the way on top of her so he could settle his weight between her legs. Then he was kissing the oxygen right out of her and reaching down between their bodies to cup her, feeling how wet she already was all over again. Rio groaned, ghosting his fingers up her entrance to her clit, “ _Fuck_ , Elizabeth,” he growled, “You makin’ me crazy.”

  
Beth giggled all breathy and rolled her hips into his and fuck if he wouldn’t give his God damn left arm to hear that giggle for the rest of his life. With Beth smiling up at him the way she was he didn’t think there was a single sight more beautiful than her in that moment. His Elizabeth. Rio took a beat to just stare down at her reverently, unbelieving that this incredible woman was by his side. Beth cupped his cheek and leaned up to kiss him languidly, letting her tongue skim his teeth then roam this mouth while she reached down and stroked him once, twice, spreading his pre-cum over his shaft before lining him up. Rio groaned against her mouth and pushed into her swiftly as she wrapped her legs around his waist and rolled her hips to meet him.

  
They both gasped into their kiss, sharing each other’s breath as they stilled, letting her adjust before he pulled back out and stroked back into her, sighing contentedly as they set a slow rhythm. Rio looked down into her eyes, holding her gaze as Beth stared back up at him. Their bodies moved completely in sync together, her hips rolling to meet his every thrust. He couldn’t seem to break his eye contact, licking his bottom lip as she gasped and sighed beneath him, squeezing his ass every time he bottomed out. 

  
“I _love_ you, Elizabeth,” he panted fiercely against her lips on a deep thrust.

  
Beth moaned, bringing his face closer still to hers, bumping their noses together, “I love you, _too_ , Rio. So fucking much,” she returned breathlessly.

  
Rio dipped down then and kissed her hard, using his tongue to map out her mouth as he sped up his hips. He moved his lips to her jaw then her neck and down to her chest. He sat back then on his haunches watching where their bodies came together over and over, licking his lips.

  
“Yeah, mama, just like that, hm?” He encouraged her as she relentlessly rolled her hips into his, arching her back off the mattress at the new angle he had created when he sat up.

  
Rio grinned and used one hand to palm her breasts, kneading the soft flesh before pinching and rolling her nipple while he used his other hand to press a thumb to her clit and rub rough circles there. His hips snapped hard and unforgiving against hers, their skin slapping pleasantly with a mix of their sweat and her arousal dripping down her thighs. Beth’s heels dug into his ass when she could no longer reach it with her hands to spur him on.

  
“Yes, yes, yes,” she chanted, swallowing thickly as she threw her head back against the pillow, moaning out his name, splitting it in two, “ _Ri-o_. Mm just like that—yes, right _there_ ,” she groaned as he shifted her hips up a bit off the bed hitting a new angle.

  
Rio licked the sweat off his top lip, her words pushing him harder. His fingers dug into the soft flesh of her thighs, holding her up as he fucked her warm, wet cunt. It had never felt this good with anyone before and he knew it would never be this good with anyone else, either.

  
He groaned as he felt her start to clench around his cock. “So fucking good, mami. So wet. So tight,” he panted out each word on a thrust. They were both close, bodies going taunt with anticipation.

  
“Rio, please, I need—,” Beth pleaded for what, she wasn’t exactly sure, but Rio knew exactly what she needed.

  
Rio bent her knees back and slammed into her as he surged down to steal her breath with a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss. Their moans bled into each other as they came undone together with him buried to the hilt inside of her. His cock twitched as her cunt fluttered around it, clenching and milking his orgasm from him. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth then nibbled on it, pulling back only to sooth it with a soft kiss as they both came down, bodies quivering and breath rapid and uneven.

  
Beth welcomed Rio’s weight as he lay himself over her, resting his head in her breasts, trying to catch his breath. Beth cradled his head on her chest with one and ran her nails over his scalp gently. Rio shivered and in turn tangled her free hand with his, running his thumb over her knuckles while his other palmed the breast his head rested on.

  
“Elizabeth?” He rasped out, clearing his throat.

  
“Mm,” Beth replied tiredly.

  
“You gon’ marry me one day?”

  
Beth let a silly smile grace her lips and nodded, “Mhm,” then lit her lip coyly.

  
“Gon’ be Mrs. Mendoza one day, huh?” Rio said roughly, biting his lip as he shimmied up her body so their faces were lined up.

  
Beth could see so many emotions in his eyes then: adoration, lust, love, anxiety, fear. She smoothed her thumb over his brows and smiled properly at him, letting one hand slip to the back of his neck and the other to his chest. Beth pulled him down, kissing him slowly as she nodded against his mouth then pulled back.

  
“Nothing I want more, baby,” Beth finally answered him.

  
Rio smiled down at her with a genuine smile before rolling off her to get up and go to the bathroom for a warm wash cloth. He came back and sat beside her, cleaning up her thighs and tossing the cloth into the hamper across the room. Beth scooted over to her side of the bed and waited for him to climb in beside her and flop on his back. She rolled onto her side and then unceremoniously splayed half her body over top of his with her leg hitched up over his waist, her hand flat against his chest and her head tucked into the crook of his neck as she clung to him. Rio wrapped a strong arm around her back and held her to him securely while his other hand landed on her thigh. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head then let go of her for a moment in order to turn the lamp off.

  
“Sleep,” he ordered, settling into their bed and letting his head lull to the side, his nose buried in her hair.

  
“Mm,” she agreed, snuggling closer and slowly drifting off to sleep.

  
It had been a much longer night than Rio had anticipated, but he was just glad it was over and Beth was tucked safely against him. He planned to keep her in bed with him at least half of the next day and he might never let her out of his sight again if he could help. He knew that last thought was impossible, but he was feeling crazy with the need to protect her. He sighed, pulled her impossibly closer and kissed her hair again as he listened to her steady breathing.

  
He had almost lost her tonight, but he hadn’t and he wasn’t going to, not ever. She promised him a wedding, after all. Rio grinned at the thought of her in a wedding dress walking down the aisle towards him and his heart soared. Finally, he was able to close his eyes, breathe her in and fall into a deep, relaxing sleep with her breath puffing against his chest steadily, alive.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back with another one! This one took the better part of two weeks to finish and edit and is much longer than my first piece! I'm thinking about turning this into a series where I explore what lead up to their life as it is in this timeline. Let me know if y'all would be interested in that!
> 
> Thanks for reading,  
> Red


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